The X-Men Episode 4 - The Nature of the Beast
by SuperMudz
Summary: Beast has an unusual reaction to the recent events on the so-called "Sentinel Island", and he X-Men attempt to pursue their investigation to get answers, despite the lack of co-operation from the government.
1. Chapter 1

**The X-Men Episode Four**

"The Nature of the Beast"

_by SuperMudz_

* * *

**CHAPTER ONE**

**THE MACHINE**

* * *

They escaped and made it back to the X-Mansion.

They were all gathered later – seeing Beast huddled inside the transparent bio-containment sphere. Beast had constructed it himself, and now he was its first user.

He had had an adverse delayed reaction to the treatment they had subjected him to on the unnamed island – which they had dubbed "the Sentinel Island", given that they had observed both the massive machines and their manufacturing facilities there.

They did not have much chance to explore it indepth, but in the course of their escape they had at least rescued one hostage, a woman named Moira McTaggart. She had not been revived yet, but Jean was watching over her carefully in the infirmary for the time being.

The Professor had, with great concern, ushered them upon a new mission, and had made busy with certain things in preparation.

"Beast spent some time coming up with the material for these new costumes. They're made of a very durable fiber, with self-compressing material." He said, while Beast still hovered in the chamber behind them.

"Worried about gunshots, huh?" Cyclops asked.

"You should always be aware of the dangers, Scott."

"I say he should just walk it off," Wolverine smirked.

"Easy for you to say, Wolverine, you're indestructible," Kitty retorted.

"Fair," he grunted, staring at his knuckles, as if wondering if his powers had come back in yet.

They looked at the sphere as it became clearer – revealing the dark shape within more visibly. They couldn't see entirely clearly yet, but Beast seemed… different.

"What's happening?"

"I'm afraid Beast is reverting to puberty."

"That doesn't sound so bad," Rogue crossed her arms.

"For Beast it may well be. For most mutants that's often the period their latent mutant gene is activated, and for Beast it was a particular physically traumatic experience. All other problems and dangers aside – he barely survived the first time."

(*)

They saw Forge in the hangar and approached him, talking quietly amongst themselves so he wouldn't overhear.

"You know he's not actually from the future, right?" they were saying (or rather, Bobby was). "The guy was in Vietnam. He just time-travels."

"Hey kids. I can actually hear you, you know."

They paused, stock-still. Soon though, they had gotten the man into a conversation, and he explained at least _some _of the baffling technology that constructed his cybernetic body. Odd subject to broach, but every student and even X-Man (and woman) at the mansion was curious about it.

"What's that like? Your own past changing in front of you?" Kitty asked, resisting the temptation to poke at his leg. He pulled his leg away rather huffily as if reading her mind.

Forge was building the electronic heart for his next machine. He had a rare and unusual mutant talent – he could talk to machines. Also he could "see" energy fields, with great effect, able to detect them with unerring precision and detail. He could describe them to the last coulomb, although he didn't always have the words for what was an instinctual vision. But it was one of his most powerful assets. He could see the universe in ways that escaped others, and he didn't even need a device.

He could talk as he worked, and he did so with a practiced alacrity, despite his usual bit of discomfort with socialization. It was odd, he was a friendly guy, intelligent and seemed to like to talk, but also seemed to like not talking. He was a little odd to get. But they listened with fascination – Forge had brought the wonders of the future with him, and it seemed every day he had something interesting and new to show. Kitty loved to bother him especially, to the point a frustrated Forge had to plead with the Professor to keep her out of the hangar while he worked, her charming disposition aside.

_Rude. _Kitty had thought at the time.

"People lose, like, 90% of their memories all the time. This is kind of just like filling in your own back-story. The revelations can be startling, but when you lose to detach yourself from a three-dimensional causality of reference… to put it in terms easier to understand…"

"Suddenly I knew and remembered a time in my life when I fought Apocalypse in Vietnam, it was almost as if I was there right now – but it seemed remote."

The machine suddenly flared to life it seemed, and Forge looked happy, a twinkle in his eye as he looked at the student.

"Most of my memories are now back-ups in data drive. Courtesy of the same technology that created Cable's box." He tapped his head and then made a face like he thought it was weird.

"Oh yeah," Kitty rolled her eyes. "One of the other time-travelling mutants. Seems like a real popular pastime."

Bobby was a little more thoughtful, standing next to a student Forge didn't really recognise (probably the girl that lit on fire). "So… well, that's weird. Does that mean you remember ten times more of your life than we do?"

"Technically."

That was a weird thought.

"But it works out the same – I'm only conscious of a small part of it, and then, as changes happen, I can become aware of them. At least if it's anything significant enough. It's just like remembering something you forgot. It does have its advantages, though."

"Maybe that makes him like 300 years old." The third girl said in an aside.

Kitty laughed a little. _No wonder the guy's a little frazzled all the time. That's got to mess with you head._

(*)

Rogue was far away at the time. She had left earlier with Gambit, on a few different errands – one which he wouldn't tell her about, but promised wasn't anything foolish. _Maybe a present for me, _she thought hopefully.

Beast wasn't the only one affected by the power-nullification gas used on the X-Men. Rogue had soon lost her powers after returning to the hangar, but not all of them… just her strength and flight. Until she got them back she was having to adapt to "normalcy", which was harder to remember than she thought.

She hopped on the "Rogue Hopper". It was something Forge had built for her, to her delight, and she was keen to try it out. Hair waving in the wind. Even Gambit or Cyclops would have to be jealous of this, she thought.

Ever since she lost her powers, she was back to good old foot locomotion. She missed being able to fly. She took her glove off for a second, examining her fingers as if the answers lay there. She still had the ability to absorb powers, so she could obtain the ability that way…

She put the glove back on. But you couldn't just go around absorbing people's powers for fun – it was probably the most dangerous gift she had. She still had a problem trying to touch… anyone.

"Rogue, old girl, back to hoofing it." She told herself, and kicked it into gear. Everything was labelled, now it was just time to try it out. _Manuals are over-rated anyway, _she scoffed.


	2. Chapter 2

CHAPTER TWO

THE BEAST

* * *

In another room, the Professor was addressing the group. He had wanted Jean there because she had become quite proficient in genetic studies herself, and had worked with Beast as much as he had.

"He seems to be recapitulating his phylogeny, as they say. But I'm afraid in Beast's case it's a literal regression, and the experience is unnatural for his body chemistry. It may be permanently damaging. We placed him in this cell because we hope it will mitigate some of the effects – Beast's work has quite advanced the field of medicine, and maybe it'll be enough to save his own life. Jean's been monitoring his condition."

(*)

Beast was in his lab, an odd figure as he was somewhat smaller than usual, looking at his reflection, as if to see how it measured.

He sighed and scruffed his hair in the mirror. "I'm afraid I'm not quite as adorable as my usual charming self at this age. Just shadows, as the philosopher said."

"Well ah dunt no, I kindha lahke it," Rogue said, in her usual charming suave. Beast admitted that even with all his scholarly acumen, it took all his perceptive scholar's ability to unravel her words, charmingly wrapped though they were.

Beast was glad she had taken the time to check in. She didn't seem to know it, but she seemed to have an instinct to care about other people, that was highly laudable. So long as she didn't forget about herself in the process.

_Now all I have to worry about is getting fleas. What does a Beast go through in puberty? Beast pimples? _He wondered. His change hadn't manifested until he was an adult, this was a completely new change for him.

As Rogue left, Gambit wasn't far behind. He lounged in the doorway, but his eyes travelled down the hall – it wasn't difficult to guess his mind was in two places.

"Hi doc, how're you holding up?"

But he had stopped to check in on him, and that certainly made him a good fellow.

"I was always my own favourite professor," he said, adjusting his spectacles. "Besides Professor Xavier of course, but he doesn't have my natural rugged pelt."

"I'm sure it' been a real loss to him," Gambit replied, tossing cards up and down with a smile.

"Must you carry those dratted things wherever you go?"

"Hey, you got your pencils and lab-coats, a Gambit's got to accessorise for the occasion."

"Visiting a lab with highly volatile chemicals?"

"Ah – fair point." And he packed them away with a nimbleness even Beast's cat eyes couldn't follow. _I can see why Rogue finds him captivating, _he thought to himself. He did have an uncanny and disarming manner – not to mention an impressive skill-set, even if he was a little wayward and unreliable. Not in the sense of letting the X-Men down, but that he often didn't stick around very often.

Beast suspected the only reason he really did or didn't, had some small part to do with Rogue. They were like two alley-cats circling each other, even if they tried to hide it to some degree.

He shook his head. _Children, _he chided the odd romance.

Next to visit him was Kitty, but that was no surprise as he had a group to teach, although these were certainly unusual circumstances that seemed to provide everyone with a great deal of merriment. Professor X had stopped in to… "assist" in the class, as he put it.

"I still don't get it – what is this quantum foam stuff?" Kitty asked. She had listened to a lot of the Professor's lectures, but this hadn't come up in their studies yet.

"Well – imagine this mat layer here is "quantum foam"" Beast indicated the layer on the table. "This is actually what we think of as "space". When you take everything else away, there is still the _potential _for objects to exist." He placed a mug and a plate on the cloth.

"And what's happening is that this "layer" is constantly vibrating, producing particles into our universe from its antithetical state. Sort of like unfreezing frozen particles, it's based on thermal energy, raising it above the threshold, turning it from a vibration into a discrete particle. Like so." And taking a hold of it, he rippled the cloth in his hands so that it produced waves. "The waves you see are the new particles being introduced into our universe."

"Beneath the universe is a layer which comprises it's most fundamental state. Just like air or water it is the medium in which our universe exists."

The class for the rest of it went rather well, even if the questions were mostly about how Beast felt about being a kid again, even if temporarily.


	3. Chapter 3

CHAPTER THREE

DANGER ROOM

* * *

The X-Men had begun their next round of training.

Cyclops tripped Jean. "Hey!" she said, as she fell on her rump. He smirked at her. She furrowed her brow, and Scott was suddenly alarmed as two heavy metal crates started floating near him. She smiled back at him. "Uh oh," he said.

The sound of their kerfuffle was drowned out by the sound of Beast dodging magma blasts and Gambit's cards. Beast had proven so difficult to tag that they had lost any fear of trying. He liked to taunt them as he swung from poles about it. For a scholar, he had an uncanny knack for physical dispute. He participated mostly for scientific reasons, to see how his condition had affected his prowess, but he seemed as agile as ever.

Kitty was controlling one of the androids by Beast's remote (she wasn't allowed to join their sessions otherwise yet). She had been keen to try it out. Bobby looked up at the slightly tall android with apprehension. Kitty got excited, was what was on his mind.

He complained about this loudly and vociferously over the pick-up, which would "catch" their voices from anywhere in the training room. (Rumour was they were going to move one near the roof-top.)

"Yes, Bobby, but bear in mind, this is the kind of disadvantage that Kitty will face in the battlefield. It's good for you to be aware of the insecurities of your fellow team-mates."

"But – Professor, she's never seemed to mind. I mean, I'm not some kind of killer robot."

"No – but in the eyes of mankind, our powers are just as dangerous."

_Wait, so is it me or normal people to be worried about? Is the Professor trying to change the subject? _Bobby wasn't brave enough to question the psychic.

They remembered what the Professor had said.

"It was important for our students, and especially the X-Men, to learn how to defend themselves, not just politically, but against fear and violence. I hadn't imagined at the time how useful, and to what uses, the X-Men could be putting their powers to. I only had a dream, and it's one the X-Men have fulfilled beyond all expectation. They've become heroes…"

_Oo. _Kitty had thought. That sounded good.

(*)

"Ahhh!" Bobby shrieked as Kitty's android leapt after him and smashed the crate to kindling with its arms. She was giggling. _This is so much fun! _She repeated that over the com, but Bobby didn't seem to agree. She sighed to herself, he was kind of a party pooper sometimes.

"So this is what being a guy feels like," she said, putting her hands on her hips, pleased. She did a little victory dance.

Storm gave her a stern but amused look, as she dialed down the security controls.

"Why can't we take these androids out into the field all the time, Professor?" she asked, soon after, when he came to check on their progress.

"I'm afraid they won't function outside of the institute." He leaned over his fingers. "And I'm afraid the government wouldn't look kindly on the X-Men putting combat robots into the field."

"Ah, I see." She was downcast. "That makes sense. Guess it's just up to us X-Men huh?"

He didn't reply, but just gave her a reassuring smile before wheeling off.

Jean had won her dispute with Cyclops and floated a sandwich over to her with telekinesis, taking a bite with a smug smile while plonked on top of his "dead" body.

The others were a little wary around her, it still wasn't certain how in control of her powers she was, and that kept them alert for signs of trouble. They all loved Jean, but the Phoenix was a problem of catastrophic proportions. They'd act in an instant if they thought it was trying to repossess her again.


	4. Chapter 4

CHAPTER FOUR

REVELATION

* * *

Scott met the Professor alone later.

"That's why they fear us, Scott- when they see us, they're seeing the end of their own relevance. Their own extinction. It's a struggle for survival, the most natural process of evolution."

"So you're saying we're going to have to scrap it out to the bitter end? Survivor takes all? I cannot believe that. And you don't believe it either."

"No I don't. I believe they have an incomplete understanding – but one that's going to be very hard to convince them of with that primal fear manipulating them from the inside."

They had a new mission but they were going to have to do it without Beast – his wit and intelligence would be missed.

(*)

The X-Men were gearing up in the hangar. Wolverine was checking out some of the new equipment in the drop area, an unlit cigar in his teeth as he strapped on a new leg-guard – when the Professor appeared and moved to speak with him.

_At least he's doing it under the ventilation, _the Professor thought to himself.

"What's up, doc?" Logan asked, swinging up a pack. "I'm good to go – one man short, but your team will do good."

"That's – ah – not exactly what I'm here about."

"Oh?"

"I want you to keep an eye on Rogue."

"Rogue?" he was taken aback, an amusing expression on those usually gruff features.

"Yes. She's been… troubled of late. And I've been concerned."

"Yeah, well – maybe that'll happen when your boyfriend runs off on you, what do I know?"

They watched several of the women emerge, and make for boarding the X-Plane, Rogue among them, looking pensive and far-away about something, as she often did lately. She had returned not long ago, with that exact same expression.

"What do you see when you look at her?" the Professor asked.

"Her?" he sparked a light off his claws, lighting his cigar. "She's tough. Good in a fight."

"I see a vulnerable, and unguarded young woman."

"So what do you want me to do?"

"Nothing. I asked Cyclops to do it. I just wanted your opinion. I've learned to listen to your… shall we say, instincts?"

"Don't knock 'em, Prov, they got me through plenty of scrapes."

"That I can believe," he smiled.

"'Sides," he made the first puff under the brim of his hat. "I think Gambit has that handled." They spotted the movement in the corner of the room. Even Professor X was surprised – the man could certainly keep hidden when he wanted.

"You may well be right."

(*)

They were investigating another likely place. Xavier had used his contact with the government, with some help from Storm, and revealed a location that was likely to be of interest.

He still hadn't convinced them of the threat of the Sentinels – and they didn't seem to be too eager to pursue his claims.

But it was truly Wolverine who had found it. Weeks of scouring those hills – they didn't even know how he did it. And he didn't say anything, but the look on his face and the shreds on his clothes told them he had encountered some resistance.

They were a formidable, small team, even understrength as they were, seven strong. Cyclops as their field leader, like always, Jean, Wolverine, Storm (her power was greatly needed, now more than ever), and also Colossus and Rogue.

Despite the Professor's reservations, they did bring Kitty along. Beast's condition was too unpredictable.

The spider-robots crawled out of the caves with alarming speed. They heard the high-pitched shriek of Kitty, and soon saw her running away from them.

"C'mon Cyclops, blast them with your laser!" she cried.

Cyclops didn't need to be told twice.

Soon, some kind of machine alarm had been set off and confirmed their concerns – Sentinels appeared and landed down beside them. Fortunately, the X-Men were prepared for just such a battle, even under-powered. Colossus stood close by, in case, he had never been affected by the anti-mutagen. Storm held them back with mighty winds and lightning streaked out of the sky.

Jean used her power and the walls of the canyon started coming down.

"That's our cue!" Wolverine cried out.

They got out of there. The Sentinels looked up, aghast, looking at the boulders coming down to swallow them up. Their boot jets flared, but couldn't take them out in time. They were crushed up the weights of thousands of tonnes of boulders.

At least Jean seemed to be recovering well.

(*)

They marveled, looking at it, in the dim light of the cave, covered in dust.

"What is this?"

"A Sentinel core. We should bring this back to Professor Xavier."

And so they did. Shortly they were back in the underground facility, which doubled as a laboratory level and hangar. It was mostly the mission area for the X-Men, separate from the mansion and the school facilities.

Professor Xavier seemed entirely fascinated by it.

"I recognise this. This is the work of Magneto! That is why your power was unable to work against it, it was projecting an invisible magnetic field that lowered the energy to below the armour's threshold."

"Did you notice anything, Wolverine?"

"Nope," he examined his claws. "Worked just the same as always."

"So I guess neither of us noticed it."

"Hmm, yes," Xavier rubbed his chin. "It is sophisticated work – and I'm not entirely sure how Magnus had a hand in it. But the signs are clear."

"These things could block my optic blast. Wolverine seemed to do fine though, physical attacks were still effective."

"Yes, like the piezo-electric quartz in radios, it was designed only to filter out your kind of attack. If they've developed a similar counter-measure for Wolverine, apparently you had not encountered it yet – but this is serious enough."

"Except for that anti-mutagen stuff," Wolverine offered with a scowl.

Suddenly, Storm burst in, and exchanged an excited conversation with the Professor. His expression was instantly alarmed, and the X-men looked at each other, wondering what the news would be. After a moment, he did indeed clear his throat and tell them.

"It seems our student Marcus is not what he claims to be."

They entered to see him on the chair, his face downcast.

THE END


End file.
